Rolling mill having removable chucks



E. T. PETERSON ROLLING MILL HAVING REMOVABLE CHUCKS Filed llay 28, 1947 I I l l 1 II I 4 Sheets-Sheet l Meir/1 Feb. 13, 1951 E. T. PETERSON 2,541,279'

ROLLING MILL HAVING REMOVABLE CHUCKS Filed May 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 13, 1951 E. T. PETERSON 2,541,279

ROLLING MILL HAVING REMOVABLE cuucxs Filed May 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet s Feb. 13, 1951 Filed May 28, 1947 E. T. PETERSON ROLLING MILL HAVING REMOVABLE CHUCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i i 44 g I Mere/L 97 Em aljj wwn Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROLLING MILL HAVING REMOVABLE CHUCKS Edward '1. Peterson, Reading, Pa.

Application May 28, 1947, Serial No. 750,998

7 Claims. (01. so-ss) My invention relates to rolling mills of the character employed in rolling metals. and particularly to improvements in the construction of the rolling mill itself.

A purpose of my invention is to permit more accurate rolling to gauge by minimizing elastic separation of rolling mill rolls during mill operation.

A further purpose is to avoid the difficulties which have occurred through elongation of tension bolts used in retaining the cap on the mill.

A further purpose is to secure the cap to the uprights of the mill housing by shear pins engaging lugs, and to permit opening of the cap and removal of the chucks and rolls by removing merely one shear pin and swinging the cap about the other shear pin.

A further purpose in shear pin attachments of th cap to the uprights of'the mill housing is to urge the cap away from the uprights by wedges preferably applied outside the shear pins.

A further purpose is to avoid delay in changing rolls incident to removal of cap nuts on the cap of the mill, and incident to relief of tension of springs which have heretofore supported the upper roll lower bearing or chuck.

A further purpose is to permit operation of several roll housings as part of a set of roll stands from a common drive or pinion housing using rolls of different diameters without tendency of the bottom rolls to lift up from the bottom roll chucks due to the misalignment of the various rolls with the coupling boxes and spindles.

A further purpose is to hold the top roll lower chuck and the bottom roll upper chuck both in position by oppositely directed spring urged wedges between each such chuck and the adjoining chuck of the middle roll, and preferably to make such springs on the wedges adjustable.

A further purpose is to support the middle roll by a lower chuck having downwardly extending spaced legs engaging an abutment and by an uppcr chuck having upwardly extending spaced legs and to adjustably engage the ends of the upwardly extending spaced legs by screws from the cap.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate one only of the numerous embodiments in which my invention appears, choosing the form shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure 1 Ban end elevation of a three-high rolling mill embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken on the line 3-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the middle roll upper chuck, partially in central section, transverse with respect to the mill rolls.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the middle roll upper chuck of Figure 4, partially in central sec-' tion, longitudinal with respect to the mill rolls.

A further purpose is to provide crane hook connections in the upwardly extending spaced legs of the middle roll upper chuck, to interconnect the middle roll chucks, to mount the upper roll chucks between the legs of the middle roll upper chuck, to mount the lower roll chucks between the legs of the middle roll lower chuck and to provide abutments on the legs of the middle roll lower chuck to prevent dropping out of the lower roll chucks when changing rolls.

Figure 6 is a partially sectioned end elevation of a middle roll lower chuck, in position similar to Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional front elevation of the middle roll lower chuck of Figure 6, the section being similar to that in Figure 5.

In the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts.

Describing in illustration, but not in limitation, and referring to the drawings:

In the prior art in constructing rolling mills of the three-high type and the like, it has been common practice to support the middle roll by chucks in a substantially stationary position,

the chucks for the middle roll having elongated legs extending upward anddownward from the bearing members. The upper roll has been supported against upward movement by chucks mounted between the upwardly extending legs of the middle roll chucks. and these upper roll upper chucks have been vertically adjusted by screws from the caps. The upper roll has been held up against its upper chucksby bottom bearings or chucks which have been held in position by upwardly spring urged rods from the caps.

The caps themselves have been held in place by nuts on can bolts which must be removed in order to remove the chucks.

By my prior Patent No. 2,237,040, the time involved in roll changing has been reduced by permitting removal of the chucks as a group. There are, however, still time consuming and troublesome features in the process of roll changing. It should be remembered that in some cases it may be necessary to change the rolls several times in- 3 a single day, and that frequently the crane other duties and crane time is at a premium.

In the prior art it has been necessary to release the spring pressure on the upper roll bottom bearings or chucks, and then to remove the cap nuts individually and finally lift off the caps vertically and set them down. Previously, in the general prior art practice, the chucks and rolls have had to be removed individually after loosening the clamps, although in the practice under my Patent No. 2,237,040, this feature could be simplified by removing the cap, chucks .and rolls as a group.

Another dimculty has been present in the prior art constructions. It has been necessary for the roller to allow for a substantial amount of elasticity in the mill itself in setting the gauge, and this feature is always subject to miscalculation which may result in rolling stock which is outside of the gauge tolerance. I have discovered that this elasticity has existed primarily in the cap bolts of the prior art constructions, due to the inability of the designer to employ cap bolts of the same strength as the housing uprights.

I find that the diiliculties referred to can be overcome, and especially the time of roll changing can be further reduced and the elasticity of the mill can be largely eliminated as a factor in determining the gauge, by somewhat modifying the mill construction.

As shown in the drawings, the improved rolling mill of the present invention comprises an upper roll 20, having hub portions 2i, a middle roll 22,

having hub portions 23, and a lower roll 24 having hub portions 25, set up one above the other as in usual practice. At opposite ends of the rolls are provided housings 26, each consisting of a base 21, mounted on a foundation 28,'which includes railsflsecured by tiedown bolts to the base. Rising from the base at each side of the rolls are housing uprights 3i (two for each housing), which are spaced to provide a generally rectangu lar bearing space 32 in each housing.

The'housings are cross-connected out of line with the rolls at'the top and bottom by spreaders a and 34. Across each pair of housings at each end of the rolls extends a cap 35 connected to each upright. The general construction, as thus far described, is conventional in mills of this type.

An important feature of the present invention relates to the manner of connecting the cap 35 to the'uprights 3! at each end. Instead of using eye bolts as in the prior art, shear pins are employed to obtain the benefit of double shear when the mill is under load. At the top of each upright are provided two spaced lugs 35 of suitable heavy construction having holes 31 transversely of the lugs. The cap at each end has an extension 38 between the lugs, which likewise is provided with a hole in line with the holes 31 to receive a shear pin 39, which extends clear across through one lug, through the cap, and through the opposite lug. Thus an upward pressure on the cap or a downward pull on the uprights results in loading the pins 39 in double shear (one shear between the cap and the lug at each end of the pin). This provides. a much less elastic construction than was characteristic of the cap bolt design commonly used. v

To provide against the possibility of play existing due to wear of the shear pins, the cap 25 isextended at 40 beyond the lugs to permit engagement of a wedge 4! at each end between the extension 40 on the cap and spaced abutments 42 on each upri ht 3i.

When'the wedges 4| are inserted they remove any play which may be present in the shear pins as. but when the wedges are removed and one of the shear pins as is removed on each cap. the caps are free to pivot around the other shear pins as indicated in dot and dash lines in Figure l, the extensions 40 then moving into a recess 43 at the outer end of the uprights between the two abutments 42, engaging stops 4!! on the uprights so that the .caps are free to turn over somewhat beyond 80, suitably under the action of the crane attached to the opposite extensions Iii. This wholly avoids the necessity for completely removing the caps and setting them down in changing rolls, it being merely necessary to take out one of the shear pins 30 and the wedges H on each cap and swing each cap open around the other shear pin. The manner of removing the chucks and rolls will be later described. After the chucks and rolls have been restored, the caps can be swung back in position and the shear pins and wedges returned to their positions much more quickly than would be possible using the cap screws and springs for the upper roll lower bearings or chucks, as in the prior art.

The chucks are clamped in position by sets of clamps 44, 48, 48 and 41 on opposite sides of each upright, as well known in the art, held by suit able studs and nuts ea.

As in prior practice the middle roll 22 is held in stationary position by a middle roll upper chuck 49 (Figures 3, 4 and 5), having a bearing saddle 5! provided with antifriction bearing material i I. The outer sides of the chuck have elongated upwardly extending legs 52 whose outer edges 53 are shaped straight to flt against the side walls of the rectangular bearing space as. The saddle portion 50 is recessed clear across the center at 54 to provid space for the motion of the upper roll lower bearing or chuck and the wedges to be described. The central portion of the saddle 50 has opposite wedge faces 55 on its upper surface, and the entire saddle portion is recessedat 56 to permit the movement of the upper roll wedges. The upper surface of the saddle portion also has a groove 51 to aid in operation of the wedges to be described.

As will be explained, the upper roll and its chucks are capable of being picked up by the middle roll upper chucks in roll changing. The

middle roll upper chucks are also designed to pick up the middle roll lower chucks by the interconnection with bottom lugs 58 having pin openings 59 on the middle roll upper chucks. For lifting the entire series of chucks and rolls, crane openings 60 are provided in the upper ends of the legs 52 of th middle roll upper chuck.

To permit adjustment of the setting of the middle roll upper chuck and to a flust in case or wear', the upper ends of the middle roll upper chuck legs are engaged by screws ii in the caps which are locked by detents 62.

The middle roll lower chucks 63 (Figures 3. 6, and '7) are generally counterparts of the middle roll upper chucks, each having a bearing saddle 64 provided with antifriction bearing material 85 on its upper surface, and having downwardly extending elongated legs 66 at each side. The outside of the chuck and legs is straight at O1 to engage the rectangular bearing space 82 between each pair of uprights. Between the legs each middle roll lower chuck is recessed at 88 to provide for the lower roll hub and its chucks. The

bottoms or the legs at as engage abutments ll assume at the bottom of the housing to support the middie roll lower chuck.

The bottom surface of. the saddle 84 of the I middle roll lower chuck has opposite wedge surtend between the lugs 5.8 on the bottom of the middle roll upper chuck to permit interconnection of the two chucks by pins 88' (Figure 1), in 4 changing the rolls.

.The bottoms of the legs 88 at th inside carry abutments 16 which prevent the bottom roll and its chucks from dropping out of the space between the legs when the rolls are changed.

The upper roll chucks on each end are mounted and moved in the space between the legs 52 of the middle roll upper chuck, and the upper roll bottom bearing or chuck 'l'l, as best seen in Figure 3. is floating in the recess 58 above the saddle 88, laterally held by walls 18 and upwardly positioned clue to engagement of its lower opposite wedge faces 19 by opposite double wedges 88 engaging the upper wedge faces 55 on the middle roll upper chuck, as best seen in Figure 3.

The wedges 88 are suitably provided for lubrication at 8I and are'tensioned by tension rods 82 having at each end springs 83 held in spring sockets 84 by nuts 85 adjustable on the tension rods to control the spring tension. Access to the nuts 85 is provided through access openings 86 in the uprights.

The upper roll lower bearing or chuck I1 is slotted at 81 on the central portion of its lower edge so that the slots 51 and 81 cooperate to permit. ample space for the rod 82 at each end of the rolls over the range of adjustment.

.The upper roll upper chucks 88 have straight sides at 88 to guide on the inside of the legs 52 on their straight guiding surfaces 88. These chucks 88 are provided with antifriction metal 8| on their lower bearing surfaces and are downwardly urged by screw jacks 92 in the caps operated by hand levers 93, as well known. The hand levers may be convenientl provided with ratchet mechanism 84 for partial stroke operation, as well known in this art.

The lower roll upper bearings or chucks 95 are substantially an opposite counterpart of the upper roll lower bearings or chucks, as shown in Figure 3. They float as before described, and are laterally guided by walls 96 of the recesses 12 of the middle roll lower chucks. Wedges 88 duplicating wedges previously described between the middle roll upper chucks and the upper roll lower chucks are in position between the wedge faces 81 on the lower roll upper chucks 85 and the bottom wedge faces 'II on the middle roll lower chucks. A slot is provided at 98 to receive the rod 82 in cooperation with the slot 13 on the middle roll lower chuck. I

The lower roll lower chuck 99 has straight side surfaces I88 guided at IN on the inner straight side surfaces of the legs 66 of the middle roll lower chuck and is restrained against downward movement during changing rolls by the abutments l6 onthe legs.

"A screw Jack I82 which is in the base 21 vertically adjusts each lower roll lower chuck, as

v well known in the art. The screw jack is con veniently driven by aratchet lever I88 on a shaft I88, turning a pinion I88 to drive a spur gear I88 on the screw Jack. The Jack itself is-mounted in a suitable housing I81, which also provides I bearing for the shaft I84 at one end. the opposite end having bearing support on a bracket I88 on an upright.

It will be evident that in the present construction it is wholly unnecessary to employ lugs on the elongated legs of the middle roll chucks as in the prior art to support the upper and lower roll chucks, except, of course, for the abutments at the bottom of the legs of the middle roll lower chuck. In the prior art it has been usual to emin the openings 68.

, the top roll lower bearing or chuck.

' ploy a number of lugs for such supporting purposes. The spring compressed double wedges between each roll and the neighboring roll do not require backing off of the spring pressure in roll changing, the wedges simply moving together under the action of the springs when the pressure of the cap is removed without in any way interfering with removal of the complete chuck and roll assembly by the crane hooks attached There is no spring interconnection between the caps and the chucks which necessitates delay in releasing such. spring pressure before changing the rolls. The opposite wedges therefore contribute materially to speed in 'roll changing by avoiding the necessity of spring action on the chucks from the caps, as in prior art constructions. v

' The wedges, it will be noted, hold down the lower roll upper bearing or chuck and hold up where several roll stands are placed in a line and the various sets of rolls are driven from a common drive or a'common pinion housing, it may sometimes be necessary to employ rolls in the different stands of markedly different diameters. In this case the lower rolls have heretofore had a tendency to lift up from the lower roll lower chucks, due to the misalignment of the various rolls and the driving action of the usual coupling boxes and spindles. In the present construction all tendency to raise the bottom roll from its proper position is overcome by the effect of the wedges. Similarly, in the case of the top roll,

the tendency to drop away from the upper chuck 'on' the caps will assure firm positioning notwithstanding wear.

In changing rolls, the invention is a great time saver. Withoutany delay for backing off springs, it" is merely necessary to loosen the clamps, loosen screw 6|, withdraw the wedges 4| and pull out one of the shear pins 39. Using the crane, the caps are then sim ly swung about the other shear pins 38 to the dot and dash position (Figure 1). Themiddle roll upper and lower chucks are then connected bypins 59 through openings 58 and 15 on the middle roll chucks. By crane hook engagement with the crane "openings 68, the entire set of rolls and the chucks at both ends of the rolls are thenlifted bodily outof' the housing andailerblawn sary forthe next rolling operation, with other chucks, are inserted into the assembly. The caps are then swung back into the operating position, the shear pins 8! are restored, the wedges ll are put back in place and the screws 80 are ad- :lusted to the proper position considering the wear on the middle roll chucks of the new assembw. The Jack screws I! and Ill are then adjusted to the correct. top and bottom roll positions, and the wedges II are adjusted, after which the clamps 44, II, it and l! are tightened.

It will be understood, course, that in adjusting the jack screws to establish the proper positions 01 the upper and lower rolls, the wedges are moved against the action of the wedge springs, but provided the wedge spring tension has been properly adjusted no manipulation or the wedges is required in roll changing. The device now is ready to operate.

It will be understood, of course, that after a set of rolls has been removed with its chucks, the assembLv will be broken down and a new assembly made up suitably using the old chucks and wedge assemblies, with other rolls. Or if preferred chucks and wedges may be retained with a given .set of rolls. Thus by employing two sets of chucks for each mill stand and modifying the structure in accordance with the present invention, a very great saving in time can be accomplished on roll changing. Where the rolling schedule is such that comparatively brief runs are made on a particular gauge or character of stock, it will be understood that thi may represent a saving of even as much as 5 to of the mill time.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope or my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rolling mill, a base, housing uprights extending above the base at each end thereof, roll chucks positioned between theuprights at each end, rolling mill rolls in the chucks, a pair of cooperating spaced lugs extending above each upright and the lugs on each upright having transverse openings in line, a cap at each end extending from one upright to the other holding the chucks against upward movement, extending between the lugs on each upright and having an opening in line with the openings in the lugs at each upright, and shear pins extending through the openings in the lugs and the opening in each cap at each upright.

2. In a rolling mill, a base, housing uprights extending above the base at each end thereof. roll chucks positioned between the uprights at each end, rolling mill rolls in the chucks, a pair of cooperating spaced lugs extending above each upright and the lugs on each upright having transverse openings in line, a cap at each end extending from one upright to the other holding the chucks against upward movement, extending between the lugs on each upright and having an opening in line with :the openings in the lugs at each upright, shear pins extensiing through the openings in the lugs and the opening in the cap and each upht 1f the uprights.

- 3. In a rolling mill. a base. a pair of uprights at each end extending above the base in spaced relation, chucks mounted between the uprights, rolling mill rolls supported in the chucks, a pair oilugs extending above each upright having transverse openings in line for each pair oi. lugs, a cap extending above the chucks at each end between the uprights and through the spaces between the lugs having openings in line with the openings in the lugs and shear pins extending through the openings in the lugs and the cap at each upright, the cap at each end hav an open position pivoting about one of the shear pins in which access to the chucks tor the removal of the chucks and rolls-is permitted, and having a closed position in which the chucks are held against upward movement of the cap.

4. In a rolling mill, at base, a pair of uprights extending above the base in spaced relation at each end, chucks mounted between the uprights, rolling mill rolls supported in the chucks, a pair 01 lugs extending above each upright having transverse openings in line for each. pair of lugs, a cap extending above the chucks between the uprights at each end and through the spaces between the lugs having openings in line with the openings in the lugs, shear pins extending through the openings in the lugs and the cap at each upright, the cap having an open position pivoting about one or the shear pins in which access to the chucks for the removal 0! the chucks and rolls is permitted, and having a closed position in which the chucks are held against upward movement by the cap, and wedges located outwardly of the lugs between the uprights and each cap urging the cap in closed. position away from the uprights.

5. In a rolling mill, a rolling mill housing having an interior space at each end of the mill, a middle roll upper chuck having upwardly extending elongated legs and a cooperating middle roll lower chuck having downwardly extending elongated legs both in the space at each end, a middle roll having bearing supports in the middle roll chucks, there being oppositely wedged surfaces on the middle roll upper and lower chucks respectively above and below the middle roll, an upper roll lower chuck having lower oppositely wedged surfaces cooperating with the upper oppositely wedged surfaces on the middle roll upper chuck at each end of the mill, located above the middle roll, opposite wedges between each middle roll upper chuck and the each can away in -upper roll lower chuck, springs urging the .wedges together, a lower roll lower chuck below and cooperating with each lower roll upper chuck, a lower roll having bearing supportsin the lower roll chucks, and means for upwardly urging the lower roll lower chuck.

6. Ina rolling mill, a rolling mill housing having an interior space at each end of the mill,

cap at each upright, and wedges between each 71 a middle roll upper chuck having upwardly exbetween the legs of the middle roll upper chucks,

opposite wedges between each middle roll upper chuck and the upper roll lower chuck, springs urging the wedges together, an upper roll upper chuck above each upper roll lower chuck, an upper roll having bearing supports in the upper roll chucks, means for holding down the upper roll upper chuck, a lower roll upper chuck below the middle roll at each end of the mill, in the space between the legs ofthe middle roll lower chuck, and having oppositely wedged surfaces below and cooperating with the oppositely wedged surfaces on the middle roll lower chuck, opposite wedges between the wedged surfaces on the middle roll lower chuck and the lower roll upper chuck, springs urging the latter wedges together, a lower roll lower chuck below and cooperating with each lower roll upper chuck, a lower roll having bearing supports in the lower roll chuck, and means for upwardly urging the lower roll lower chuck.

7. In a rolling mill, a rolling mill housing having an interior space at each end of the mill, 9. middle roll upper chuck having upwardly extending elongated legs and a cooperating middle roll lower chuck having downwardly extending elongated legs both in the space at each end,

a middle roll having bearing supports in the middle roll chucks, there being oppositely wedged surfaces on the middle roll upper and lower chucks respectively above and below the middle roll, an upper roll lower chuck having lower oppositely wedged surfaces cooperating with the upper oppositely wedged surfaces on the middle roll upper chuck at each end of the mill, located above the middle roll and in the space between the legs of the middle roll upper chuck, opposite wedges between each middle roll upper chuck and the upper roll lower chuck, springs urging the wedges together, means for adjusting the spring pressure, an upper roll upper chuck above each upper roll lower chuck, an upper roll having bearing supports in the upper roll chucks, means for holding down the upper roll 'upper chuck, a lower roll upper chuck below the middle roll at each end of the mill, in the space between the legs of the middle roll lower chuck, and having oppositely wedged surfaces below and cooperating with the oppositely wedged surfaces on the middle roll lower chuck, opposite wedges between the wedged surfaces on the middle roll lower chuck and the lower roll upper chuck, springs urging the latter wedges together, means for adjusting the latter spring pressure, a lower roll lower chuck below and cooperating with each lower roll upper chuck, a lower roll having bearing supports in the lower roll chucks, and means for upwardly urging the lower roll lower chuck.

EDWARD T. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 355,390 Daniels Jan. 4, 1887 383,056 Jones May 15, 1888 2,237,040 Peterson Apr. 1, 1941 2,363,656 Dawson Nov. 28, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 220,203 France Mar. 17, 1892 470,245 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1937 

